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Book of Days
The Book of Days is the great history of the Elven people on which all future histories were based. It was inscribed during the time of Bel-Korhadris by a cadre of Loremasters within the Library of Hoeth. The Ages of Rule Elves reckon time differently to Men and Dwarfs. They are so long-lived that their history is divided not into centuries or millennia but 'reigns', with each Phoenix King's reign considered to be a separate historical epoch. The Elven Calendar The Elven Calendar, like that of Men, has four seasons (Frost, Rain, Sun, and Storm), and it is by this calendar that they measure time. In Elf records, the reign of the Phoenix King comes first, then their year, then season and lastly the day (though the latter two are seldom used in the chronicling of significant events). Thus V, 140, 3, 90 would equate to the ninetieth day of the season of the Sun, in the one hundred and fortieth year of the reign of Caradryel the Peacemaker. Because a new Phoenix King is not elected until the previous ruler has been dead for a full year, the 'missing year' is always considered to be the last year of the dead King's reign. No record exist concerning the dating system prior to Aenarion's reign (the day he stepped through the Fire of Asuryan being the first day of his reign), except that the Everqueens ruled alone, and the system revolved in some way around them. Timeline The Golden Time Also known as the Reign of the Single Throne. These years are not dealt in the Chronicle of the Phoenix Kings. During this time the Everqueen ruled Ulthuan from Avelorn and many realms were founded by adventurers departing from that primeval land. Little records survive from this time period. The time ends with the coming of Chaos and the years of violence that then ensued. I: Aenarion, the Defender (Imperial Calender -4500 to -4420) * I, 1 (-4500) -- Aenarion passes through the sacred flame and then defends the Shrine of Asuryan against the first Great Chaos Invasion. * I, 2 (-4498) -- Aenarion arrives in Caledor and is recognized as the chosen of Asuryan by Caledor Dragontamer. The great dragon Indraugnir becomes Aenarion's steed. They fly to Vaul's Anvil where the Dragon Armour of Aenarion is forged along with many weapons that will eventually become heirlooms of the great Elf noble families. Technically, the rank of Prince in present day Ulthuan belongs to anyone who can show possession of one of these ancient weapons. * I, 3 (-4497) -- The war against Chaos begins in earnest as the Elf Dragonriders from Caledor take the fight to the enemy. * I, 21 (-4479) -- The forces of Chaos are driven back for a time and a fragile peace descends on Ulthuan. Aenarion marries the Everqueen Astarielle and two children, Yvraine and Morelion, are born to them. * I, 30 (-4470) -- The forces of Chaos attack Avelorn. The Everqueen is slain and her children believed lost. In fact they are in the care of the Treeman Oakheart. Wracked with grief, Aenarion flies to the Blighted Isle and draws the Sword of Khaine. Armed with this terrible weapon he is all but invincible for a time. * I, 39 (-4461) -- Aenarion rescues the witch Morathi from a Slaaneshi warband. They make court in Nagarythe. * I, 40 (-4460) -- Caledor Dragontamer concludes that the only way to stop Chaos is to drain the Winds of Magic from the world. He starts repairing and expanding the ancient network of standing stones which has stood upon Ulthuan since the dawn of time. * I, 42 (-4458) -- Morathi bears Aenarion a child, Malekith, the future Witch King of Naggaroth. * I, 79 (-4421) -- In the Battle of the Isle of the Dead, Caledor Dragontamer creates the Great Vortex, and the Daemons are banished from the world. Aenarion the Defender suffers a mortal wound, and as his last act flies to the Blighted Isle to drive the Sword of Khaine back into its Altar. His body is never found. II: Bel Shanaar, the Explorer (Imperial Calendar -4419 to -2750) * II, 1 (-4419) -- The coronation of Bel Shanaar marks the end of the war with Chaos and the start of the great period of rebuilding that sees the rise of Tiranoc to pre-eminence among the Elf realms. * II, 255 (-4164) -- The foundation of the first colonies in the New World, on the east coast. Malekith defeats the Orc warlord Gritok Redfang and saves the city of Athel Toralien. * II, 1000 (-4319) -- The Cult of Pleasure begins its slow spread through Nagarythe and across all Ulthuan. * II, 1580 (-2839) -- Bel Shanaar himself visits the newly founded Dwarf city of Karaz-a-Karak and signs the pledge of eternal friendship between Dwarfs and the Elves. Malekith stays on as ambassador and remains on friendly terms with the Dwarf kings. * II, 1630 (-2789) -- Malekith begins his great period of wandering around the world in search of artefacts of elder times. * II, 1644 (-2775) -- In the northern wasteland Malekith finds the Circlet of Iron in the ancient city of Vorshgar. * II, 1645 (-2774) -- Malekith returns to Ulthuan and denounces his own mother as a worshipper of the Cult of Pleasure. * II, 1669 (-2750) -- The massacre at the Shrine of Asuryan. Bel Shanaar is assassinated. Malekith is burned by the sacred flame and horribly mutilated. Later that year his assassins try to kill the future Phoenix King Caledor I who is rescued by a band of Chracian hunters, the ancestors of the White Lions. III: Caledor, the Conqueror (Imperial Calendar -2749 to -2199) * III, 1 (-2749) -- Coronation of Caledor, Malekith flees to Nagarythe. Civil war erupts across all Ulthuan. Brother turns against brother as the Cult of Pleasure stirs up trouble in every city and town. * III, 4 (-2745) -- ''Battle of Dark Fen''. * III, 10 (-2739) -- The renegade wizard princes flee Saphery and join Malekith. Hotek, a heretic priest of Vaul, steals the sacred hammer from Vaul's Anvil and makes his way to Nagarythe. * III, 13 (-2736) -- Malekith is sealed within his great black armour and is hailed as the Witch King. The intensity of the war increases. * III, 25 (-2724) -- Caledor defeats the Witch King at the ''Battle of Maledor''. The Witch King flees and decides to implement his master plan. * III, 26 (-2723) -- The Sundering. As a result of the Witch King's interference with the Vortex much of northern Ulthuan is sunk. The renegade wizards raise the Black Arks and depart to the north to found the Dark Elf kingdom of Naggaroth. There is little the High Elves can do to stop them at this point. Tiranoc is lost beneath the waves and the cataclysmic unleashing of energies devastates the land. The Elves begin to rebuild their shattered land. Contact is lost with the Old World colonies. * III, 119 (-2630) -- A Dark Elf expedition returns to Ulthuan and hostilities resume. Caledor reorganizes the High Elf army for defence and begins the building of the Gateway fortresses in the northern passes. * III, 150 (-2599) -- Griffon Gate, the Unconquered Fortress, is finally completed. It is the first of a series of massive strongholds that will eventually guard the approaches to the Inner Lands. The war rages on as the Dark Elves seek to gain access to the Inner Lands and conquer the Holy Shrines. The High Elves resist them. IV: Caledor II, the Warrior (Imperial Calendar -2198 to -1600) * IV, 1 (-2198) -- An uneasy peace settles over Ulthuan. The survivors from Tiranoc and what was once Nagarythe start rebuilding their lands. The remaining Elves of Nagarythe, which has become known as the Shadowlands, take up a wandering, nomadic life shunning the trappings of civilisation. * IV, 10 (-2188) -- Contact is re-established with Dwarfs. Trade returns. * IV, 193 (-2005) -- Dark Elf raids begin against Dwarf trading caravans. * IV, 198 (-2000) -- Dwarf protests are ignored by Caledor II. Increased acrimony enters relations between the two races. * IV, 201 (-1997) -- The War of the Beard begins. This will eventually exhaust the strength of both empires and lead to ages of bitter feuding. There are many periods of peace where both sides claim victory. * IV, 224 (-1974) -- Caledor II personally kills Snorri Halfhand, King Gotrek's son, before returning to Ulthuan in time for the hunting season. * IV, 230 (-1968) -- Morgrim, Snorri's cousin, kills Caledor II's brother Imladrik. * IV, 250 (-1948) -- The Dwarfs destroy the Elf coloney of Athel Maraya. * IV, 596 (-1602) -- Caledor II comes to the Old World to supervise the defeat of the Dwarf kings. * IV, 597 (-1601) -- Caledor II is killed by Gotrek Starbreaker. The Phoenix Crown is lost. Announcing their victory the Dwarfs retreat to the mountains and refuse to fight any more. As the Elf host is assembled for a suicidal attack on Karaz-a-Karak, news reaches them that the Witch King has once again invaded Ulthuan. V: Caradryel, the Peacemaker (Imperial Calendar -1599 to -997) * V, 1 (-1599) -- The Black Arks Citadel of Ecstatic Damnation and Jade Palace of Pain are beached to become the core of the fortress of Anlec in the Shadowlands. This will provide the Dark Elves with a base from which to launch many massive attacks. * V, 10 (-1589) -- Caradryel orders the recall of the Elf armies from the Old World to combat this new threat. Demoralised by the long war against the Dwarfs, the Elves are in no position to deal with the resurgent Naggarothi. * V, 17 (-1582) -- Aevin Thornchanter turns himself into a narinocha plant while attempting to harness the Wind of Ghyran. * V, 98 (-1501) -- The last Elf army departs from the Old World, leaving behind a few hardy colonists who refuse to go. What will become the Wood Elf realm of Athel Loren is founded. * V, 102 (-1497) -- Caradryel introduces the system of rotating units to the Gateway fortresses so that the garrisons are always at full strength. Intermittent war rages across Ulthuan once more as the Dark Elves consolidate their hold on the northern realm. * V, 602 (-997) -- Caradryel becomes the first Phoenix King to die peacefully in their sleep. VI: Tethlis, the Slayer (Imperial Calendar -996 to -692) * VI, 3 (-993) -- The first Dragons begin their long sleep. * VI, 5 (-991) -- Formal military training for Elf regiments begin. * VI, 10 (-986) -- Tethlis launches the Scouring, a great drive north that will culminate in the slaying of every Dark Elf in Ulthuan. * VI, 50 (-946) -- Naggarothi counter-offensive reaches Griffon Gate and is caught in a carefully prepared trap. * VI, 74 (-922) -- The Battle of Grey Canyon. A massive army of Dark Elves is caught by surprise and destroyed while camped in a hidden valley in the Shadowlands. * VI, 167 (-829) -- Alaesir Greydawn finally unravels the magic binding Aevin Thornchanter into plant form. The pair then use their combined learning to produce a wine fermented from juiced narinocha pods, that proves highly popular in the courts of Ulthuan. * VI, 219 (-777) -- Dark Elf Shades and Assassins ambush Tethlis and his bodyguard while travelling north from the Phoenix Gate. No Dark Elves survive the encounter. Tethlis is unharmed. * VI, 264 (-732) -- In a last ditch attempt to win the war, the Witch King launches a desperate winter offensive across the Shadowlands. Protected by spells against the cold, his army advances. They take several Elf fortresses and precipitate the most bitter fighting ever seen between the Elves, including the infamous Siege of Tor Lehan. After this battle there were no survivors on either side. * VI, 300 (-696) -- Anlec is destroyed. No stone is unscoured. The Altar of Khaine is toppled into the sea. * VI, 303 (-693) -- A great armada sails for the Blighted Isle and Naggaroth. The Battle of the Waves is fought on the Blighted Isle. Tethlis dies afterwards under mysterious circumstances. The armada turns back. VII: Bel-Korhadris, the Scholar King (Imperial Calendar -690 to 498) * VII, 11 (-679) -- The foundations of the White Tower of Hoeth are laid down and the longest period of continued peace in Elf history begins. * VII, 400 (-290) -- The first Loremasters assemble round the half-completed tower. An entire town of mages and scholars springs up within its shadow. * VII, 1187 (497) -- The White Tower is completed. The Order of Sword Masters is incepted. VIII: Aethis, the Poet (Imperial Calendar 499 to 1120) * VIII, 16 (515) -- Artists, poets and the like begin to congregate in Aethis' court in Saphery. * VIII, 107 (606) -- The great statue at Griffon Gate is completed. Its fearsome appearance strikes terror into the hearts of the Elves' enemies, but it is also a memorial to the countless Elf warriors who have died defending it. * VIII, 116 (619) -- Battle of Mount Fireheart. * VIII, 182 (681) -- Murders and abductions in the cities of Ulthuan increase to almost epidemic levels. Aethis instructs his agents to commence investigations. * VIII, 200 (699) -- Representatives of the Phoenix King arrive in Cathay. They return laden with silk, jade and spices. Trade between east and west begins to flourish. * VIII, 203 (702) -- Explosive growth of the seaport of Lothern begins. The Cult of Pleasure makes a secretive reappearance. The Swordmasters of Hoeth begin their long secret war against the Cult. * VIII, 255 (754) -- Dark Elf slave-ships begin roaming the globe and bring entire tribes to Naggaroth in chains. * VIII, 498 (997) -- Sword Master Celedrin exposes a Cult of Pleasure in Lothern. Fifteen cultists are killed in the fighting before the remainder surrender. The survivors are put to death. * VIII, 621 (1120) -- Aethis is assassinated by his own chancellor, a secret follower of the Cults of Excess. * VIII 622 (1121) -- In the last year of Aethis' reign, Caelith Fireheart, the first Dragon Mage, is born. IX: Morvael, the Impetuous (Imperial Calendar 1121 to 1502) * IX, 2 (1122) -- The High Elf expedition to Naggaroth is massacred by the Dark Elves, aided by a screaming horde of drugged slave warriors. * IX, 10 (1131) -- The Dark Elves rebuild the citadel of Anlec in the Shadowlands. * IX, 12 (1133) -- The Griffon Gate is besieged. Morvael appoints Mentheus of Caledor as his general and introduces the levy system of mandatory universal military service that will eventually produce the great citizen-soldier armies of Ulthuan. * IX, 20 (1141) -- The siege of Griffon Gate drags on. The great keep is completely encircle by triple rings of ditches and war machines. * IX, 25 (1146) -- Siege of Griffon Gate finally lifted by Mentheus leading an army mainly composed of spearmen and archers from Cothique and Chrace. * IX, 82 (1203) -- The Fortress of the Dawn is built at the southern tip of the Dark Continent. * IX, 93 (1214) -- Battle of the Burned Banner. * IX, 97 (1218) -- The Citadel of Sunset is built at the southern tip of Lustria. * IX, 380 (1501) -- Mentheus is slain assaulting Anlec. His Dragon, Nightfang, goes berserk and routs the Dark Elves. Wracked with grief Morvael re-enters the sacred flame, committing ritual suicide. X: Bel-Hathor, the Sage (Imperial Calendar 1503 to 2162) * X, 200 (1703) -- Norse raids begin. Magnus the Mad arrives to besiege Lothern with 200 men. Confronted by the 10,000 strong Sea Guard of Lothern he orders his men to charge. * X, 400 (1903) -- Facing ever increasing numbers of Norse raids, the Mages of Saphery draw a shroud of mists over the eastern sea approaches to Ulthuan. Bel-Hathor issues his interdict forbidding humans to set foot on Ulthuan. * X, 498 (2001) -- Finubar departs for the Old World, landing at the Bretonnian port of L'Anguille. He travels extensively over the Old World, opening relations with the Empire, Bretonnia and even, tentatively, with the Dwarfs. * X, 530 (2033) -- Finubar reaches Athel Loren and rediscovers the Wood Elves. * X, 548 (2051) -- Finubar returns to Lothern and persuades Bel-Hathor to raise the Interdict. Trade starts to flow into Ulthuan as never before. XI: Finubar, the Seafarer (Imperial Calendar 2163 to present) * XI, 10 (2173) -- N'Kari runs amok across Ulthuan. Loremasters of the White Tower speculate that he is attempting to eliminate the lineage of Aenarion. N'Kari is eventually slain at the Shrine of Asuryan. Survivors of the battle there tell of the bravery of a pair of young Elven twins. * XI, 78 (2241) -- ''Battle of Shining Ridge''. * XI, 90 (2253) -- ''Slaughter at Bleak Meadow''. * XI, 97 (2260) -- Battle of Wailing Fen. * XI, 110 (2273) -- The Everqueen is poisoned with Dragonspike by Urian Poisonblade. Also in this year, mages across Ulthuan sense the Winds of Magic blowing stronger, whilst a taint lays upon them outside areas already warded by magic. Princes Tyrion and Teclis also return from Lustria with the fabled Sunfang. * XI, 118 (2281) -- Sea Lord Aislinn aids King Grundadrakk of Barak Varr in scouring the Greenskins of Waaagh! Gutrippa from the shores of the Black Gulf. Aislinn's Lothern Sea Guard and the Dwarfs of Barak Varr formed a nigh-undefeatable force. However, too many unintended insults were exchanged for the alliance to be anything but brief. Ere long, the two armies separated, the Dwarfs nurturing fresh grudges and the Elves recounting anecdotes of appalling Dwarfish habits. * XI, 138 (2301) -- The Great Chaos Incursion. Dark Elves invade Ulthuan with many Chaos allies. The Everqueen is saved by Tyrion. Teclis forges his sword and departs the White Tower. The Witch King is defeated at the ''Battle of Finuval Plain''. Teclis leaves with Finreir and Yrtle to join Magnus the Pious in the fight against Chaos in the Old World. * XI, 140 (2303) -- The Dark Elves are driven out of Ulthuan after two years of relentless warfare. * XI, 141 (2304) -- Victory at Kislev's Gate. After a long and terrible battle, Magnus the Pious drove the Chaos horde from the walls of Kislev. * XI, 142 (2305) -- Teclis founds the Colleges of Magic in Altdorf. * XI, 144 (2307) -- The Dark Elf Assassin coterie led by Gloreir attempt to kill the Phoenix King. Finubar is successfully protected by the White Lions, Korhil and his warriors then pursuing the Dark Elves throughout Lothern. The remaining assassins are butchered in a swirling battle that rages across the rooftops of the city. * XI, 163 (2326) -- Teclis returns to Ulthuan and takes up the position of High Loremaster in the Tower of Hoeth. * XI, 170 (2333) -- Battle of the Silent Fields. * XI, 176 (2339) -- Battle of Tor Dranil. * XI, 177 (2340) -- Tyrion swears in Princess Eldyra as his squire. * XI, 181 (2351) -- ''Sack of Marienburg''. * XI, 188 (2358) -- Imrik of Caledor calls together the Great Council of Caledor to assemble the Dragon Princes and awaken the Dragons of old, swearing that the kingdom would lead the way for Ulthuan as it had in ages past, even if it takes every one of its sons and daughters to do so. In the weeks and months that follow, smoke belches from the forges of Vaul's Anvil, and the Dragon Spine rings once more as smiths ply their trade. Dragons are woken. Great hosts of spearmen and archers file from the mountains. Some go to the great gates in the north, others to the Outer Kingdoms; yet more take ship to outposts along the southern ocean. Whatever betides in the years of growing darkness, Caledor is prepared, and will face it without fear. * XI, 192 (2362) -- A High Elf fleet, under the command of Ethelis the White, sank a Norscan fleet before it could blockade Marienburg. Soon thereafter, trade between Ulthuan and Marienburg resumed. * XI, 203 (2366) -- The ancient Chimera Blackfang awoke from his slumbers amidst the Annulii Mountains and rampages through Avelorn. Hundreds of Harpies, Manticores and other beasts were drawn to the destruction. For every monster slain by the incandescent arrows of the Avelorn Rangers and the ithilmar spears of the Everqueen's Handmaidens, two more came snarling to the fray. The threat was only ended when the Everqueen herself confronted Blackfang, burning the creature to ash with a column of brilliant white flame. * XI, 211 (2374) -- ''Sigvald's Folly''. * XI, 221 (2384) -- Caradryan of Eataine is named as the new Captain of the Phoenix Guard, Moraelir the previous Captain willingly standing aside in accordance with Asuryan's Will. * XI, 236 (2399) -- Invasion of Eataine. * XI, 250 to 300 (2413 to 2463) -- The campaign to Reconquer the Shadowlands begins. * XI, 254 (2417) -- Sea Lord Aislinn was washed up on the shores of Eataine. Six months prior, he had been mortally wounded and left for dead by the Dark Elf reaver Lokhir Fellheart, but now bore not even a scar, and claimed no memory of the missing months. From that moment on, Aislinn was hailed as the Herald of Mathlann -- for surely only the god of the seas could have delivered the admiral from his watery grave. * XI, 255 (2418) -- Siege of Couronne. * XI, 260-262 (2423-2425) -- Eltharion of Yvresse, son of Moranion, leads a highly successful raid against Naggarond itself. Many garrisons are taken by surprise and razed to the ground. Thousands of Dark Elf warriors are cut down. Patrols of Ellyrian Reavers work in concert with Shadow Warrior bands to ambush enemy messengers and sow terror deep into Naggaroth. When at last Eltharion's army reaches Nggarond, the boldest Elves clad themselves in captured garb and enter the city, opening the gates from within. The waiting High Elves pour into the city and run riot, burning buildings and slaying all they find. Alas, in the hour of victory, disaster strikes -- Eltharion is wounded by a Witch Elf's poisoned blade. It seemed that Eltharion would pay the same price as all others who had chanced their arm against the Witch King's citadel -- that his death would follow glory, rather than defeat, was little consolation. * XI, 262 (2425) -- Ruin of Yvresse. Grom the Paunch of Misty Mountain, a notorious Goblin king, sails from the Old World at the head of a mighty Goblin war host. Landing in Yvresse, the horde ravages eastern Ulthuan before being defeated by an Elf army led by Eltharion of Tor Yvresse. Eltharion becomes the Warden of Tor Yvresse. * XI, 339 (2502) -- Erik Redaxe raids Cothique at the head of a great fleet of Norse reavers. An Elf war fleet led by Tyrion defeats the Norse in a huge sea battle and drives them away from the coast. * XI, 359 (2522) -- Shadow of Nagashizzar. Source * : Warhammer Armies: High Elves (5th Edition) ** : pg. 14 ** : pg. 26 * : Warhammer Armies: High Elves (7th Edition) ** pg. 36 ** : pg. 37 ** : pg. 38 ** : pg. 39 ** : pg. 40 ** : pg. 41 ** : pg. 63 * : Warhammer Armies: High Elves (8th Edition) ** : pg. 15 ** : pg. 28-29 ** : pg. 30 ** : pg. 31 ** : pg. 32 ** : pg. 33 * : Warhammer Fantasy 5th Edition -- Tears of Isha (supplement) ** : pg. 6 * : Sword of Caledor (novel) by William King ** : Prologue ** : Chapter 10 Category:Books Category:High Elves Category:Timelines Category:White Tower of Hoeth Category:B Category:D